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Mountain Chalet

Open since 1968, Mountain Chalet is an institution in downtown Colorado Springs. But for Jim and Elaine Smith, the business is brand-new. The Smiths were looking to buy an outdoor store when they saw Mountain Chalet on a trip to the Springs. They gave the owner a call and asked if they could purchase the store. The deal was finalized in March. "It's a passion of ours that we wanted to do for a long time," Jim says. "... We were like, 'This shop is awesome.' It really spoke to us." He adds that it's been smooth sailing since, with the couple having benefited from the store's longtime employees and loyal customer base. — J. Adrian Stanley